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5 Jan 2012

3D Printing in Engineering and Other Industries

“Three-dimensional printing makes it as cheap to create single items as it is to produce thousands and thus undermines economies of scale.  It may have as profound an impact on the world as the coming of the factory did.” – The Economist, February 10, 2011

With advancements in printing technology, specifically 3D printing, creating three dimensional objects has become easier than ever before. 3D printing works by creating successive layers of material from a digital file and printing and compiling them with a materials printer.  The technology has also made it possible to print different parts and assemblies of an element and add them together in a single build process.

In this post we look at the current state and potential uses of 3D printing.

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3 Jan 2012

Site work, Installation and Maintenance Services at PRV

Manufacturing is not the only strength PRV engineering has. In this post we want to talk about our capabilities in the areas of installation and maintenance and how we truly provide a one stop shop for our customers.

At PRV Engineering our Installation and Maintenance Services are performed to a very high standard.  We not only install our own equipment but equipment supplied by third parties.

So why use PRV Engineering for these types of services?

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10 Dec 2011

Plasma cutting

Plasma cutting has been in use since the 1960s.  Today it is a widely used metal cutting process.  Unlike conventional “metal against metal” cutting, plasma cutting doesn’t produce metal chips so it can create accurate cuts.

Although initially plasma cutting was quite time consuming and expensive, it emerged as a more user-friendly, economical and productive method by the 1980s, due to the application of modern engineering techniques.

Here we discuss the different methods of plasma cutting as well as how it works, applications and pros and cons of utilising it in an engineering application.

Plasma Cutting Processes

First, there are three major processes used for plasma cutting:

Air plasma – In general, a hand-torch is used for metal cutting in this system. It is considered to be the most portable plasma cutting option. In most cases, it uses inverter power supply technology. The important features of this process include:

    • The system can run within a power output range of 12 amps to 120 amps
    • Cutting thicknesses can be achieved as low as 1/8 inch

Mechanized plasma – This conventional plasma cutting system is extensively used in shipyards, steel service centers and heavy-equipment manufacturing companies in order to obtain high productivity. The notable features of this technique are:

    • Uses machine-mountable torches
    • Available in amperages ranging from 130 amps to 1,000 amps
    • Cutting thicknesses of up to 61⁄4 inches can be achieved
    • It requires constant manual monitoring on different factors, such as gas flow, pressure, arc voltage

High definition plasma – This system has emerged as the most viable metal cutting solution in the industry over the last two decades. After its introduction in the 1990s, it went through several research and development processes. High quality cuts, economical operating cost and high cutting speeds are some of the major benefits of using this system. Initially, it had a thickness capacity of 3⁄8 inches. However, with advancements in engineering technology, now cutting thicknesses of up to 3 inches are easily achieved.

Some of the important features of this process are:

  • In order to achieve quality in cutting, plasma cutting equires monitoring by expert operators
  • Cutting thicknesses can be as low as 26 gauge to as big as 3 inches. When used on carbon steel, thickness capacity of up to 61⁄4 inch is also achievable
  • It requires power levels ranging from 130 amps to 800 amps
  • Technology updates on plasma cutting methods are continuing to evolve in order to obtain better results in cut quality and productivity

How do you see this kind of technology helping your manufacturing processes in the future? Let us know in the comments below.

14 Nov 2011

iMachining All Set to Revolutionise CAD and CNC Machining

You can’t enter an electronics store these days without facing an onslaught of iProducts including iPods, iPhones and iPads.  Just about every industry is taking advantage of this revolution and moving into this iDomain with new applications, programs and hardware to be utilised with these products.  So it stands to reason that the manufacturing industry wouldn’t be too far behind.iMachining, the revolutionary new CAM and CNC machining technology, was officially launched at the EMO 2011. Developed by SolidCAM, this technology has already proved its efficiency in the metal cutting industry.iMachining combines some of the most revolutionary innovations available taking CNC machining to the next level. In fact, SolidCAM even claims that the iMachining software is streets ahead of other existing computer aided machining software.Designed to reduce costs, cutting times and tool wear significantly, iMachining can help maximize manufacturing productivity.  So we felt we needed to examine what iMachining is all about and how it can work to our advantage.

iMachining Takes CNC Machining to the Next Level

SolidCAM designed iMachining to usher 21st century technology into every machining centre and by all accounts it has given the popularity of iMachining in its pre-release stage. iMachining helps to optimize tool engagement as well as cutting feeds throughout the tool path.   This has lowered cutting times by as much as 70 percent.

But how does it work?

iMachining is guided by the knowledge-based Technology Wizard, which takes into account the type of material being cut and the type of machine being used, as well as the material and geometry of the cutting tool.  This helps to ensure that the tool load remains constant, thereby ensuring longer tool life.

Most conventional computer aided machining software use small steps when cutting deep features in order to ensure that the tool isn’t overloaded. This is also done to minimise the effects of over engagement. With iMachining, however, programmers can easily cut to the tool’s full depth in just one pass, as the Technology Wizard controls tool engagement and generates a smooth morphing tool path. It also eliminates issues like air cutting, where the tool runs at full speed but doesn’t cut any metal.

iMachining: What Sets it Apart

Here are some of the most important developments brought about by iMachining:

Allows for automatic definition of optimised cutting parameters.
Reduces cutting times by as much as 70 percent.
Perfect for cutting hard metals, such as Titanium.
Intelligent morphing spiral paths ensure constant contact as well as controlled chip thickness.

With all those benefits it isn’t surprising that the industry is moving forwards in this direction.

31 Oct 2011

What Do Customers Say About PRV Engineering?

For our latest post we thought it would be good for you to hear what customers think about the services we offer at PRV Engineering.

What better way to do this than to watch a short video where one of our own customers explains why they keep coming back to PRV Engineering time after time.  Visit our dedicated YouTube Channel to view more videos about us and what we do for our customers.

Next week we will be beginning a series of articles about the future of engineering and some of the new technologies we are investing in.

What do you look for in an Engineering Services supplier?  Let us know in the comments below.

24 Oct 2011

Advantages of Shot Blasting for Surface Preparation

Shot blasting has emerged as one of the most effective, as well as possibly the cheapest technique for surface preparation prior to operations such as galvanising, electroplating, welding, enamelling, glass coating and rubberising.

Shot blasting is useful for many industries, including the aerospace, ship building, forging and steel industries because it provides a consistent and uniformly fine, rough or matt surface depending on the techniques and tools used and the type of surface required.

Previously we published the post Shot Blasting Techniques: Things You Should Know but we felt that we’d now like to take this opportunity to talk a bit more about the actual benefits of shot blasting over and above other techniques often used for surface preparation.

Plus we’d like to lay out the types of shot commonly used and describe the situations they work best in.

So here are some of the major benefits associated with shot blasting as a surface preparation technique –

  • Shot blasting eliminates the usage of non-eco friendly and harsh chemicals
  • Shot blasting provides higher production rates, wider abrasive selection and better blast pattern accuracy
  • The finished surface obtained is absolutely free from chemical deposits, scales and dust content. Shot blasting does not remove any virgin metal when removing scales
  • Shot blasting facilitates the formation of a permanent bond between the protective coat (zinc, paint or epoxy) and the shot blasted surface. It also helps to detect surface faults or defects
  • Shot blasting increases longevity and durability of protective surface coats as it adheres better to the shot blast cleaned and scale free surface

These are some of the many reasons why industries in the manufacturing sector opt for various shot blasting techniques for their surface preparation requirements.

Shot Blasting: Types of Shot Used

While shot blasting primarily refers to blasting the surface with small steel pellets or shots, many other types of shot blast materials are also used. Here we will take a look at some of the commonly used shots –

  1. Steel Shots – Here, small steel balls of diameter 1 to 6 mm are fired at high speed against the surface being prepared. The size of the balls determines the finishing achieved. Smaller steel shots are used for more polished surface, while larger ones lead to a rougher finish.
  2. Chilled Iron Grit – These are angular, abrasive material used for general blast cleaning, i.e., for removing oxides and paints from ferrous castings and carbon steel. However, blasting with chilled iron grit is quite aggressive and therefore not suitable for softer metals like aluminium.
  3. Steel Grit – Blasting with steel grit is used for jobs where aggressive cleaning is required, such as for removing contaminants from steel or any other metal.

As one of the leading engineering services, PRV Engineering Ltd, can provide you with state of the art shot blasting services for all your surface preparation requirements.

19 Oct 2011
11 Oct 2011
30 Sep 2011

CNC Machining: Industrial Applications

I’m sure you’ll agree that the development of Computer Numeric Control or CNC Machining has revolutionised the manufacturing industry.Whether it is a small manufacturing unit or a large global company, CNC machines find applications in almost all types of industries (even at home with DIY Machinists).  That’s because when it comes to producing complex parts in metal, or any other material, these computer controlled machine tools are ideal because of their high levels of accuracy, precision and speed.However the main advantage of CNC machining are the reduced production costs across the entire manufacturing process.

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28 Sep 2011

Why Busbars are the Electricity Conductivity Means of Choice

Whether someone is an independent engineering contractor or they are responsible for an entire fleet of military helicopters an effective and reliable means of working with low, high or even extremely high voltage is required. This requirement has resulted in the development of busbars.
What is a Busbar?

The versatile and flexible busbar is a thick strip of aluminum or copper that controls the flow of electricity between two points.  The very first busbar was created in the 1930’s by the British Grid System and of course, busbars have come a long way since then.

While not being the most glamorous piece of equipment, busbars work with precision to ensure that electricity is conducted safely, whether within a switchboard, distribution board or even between substations.

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